BMI question

My BMI is 17 and though this is considered underweight, I have also been told that this may be ok for a small frame person who has always been slim through genes etc. My question is how do I know if this BMI is ok for me with such contradictions? I was hoping someone here may offer their thoughts on this

It's not. Being underweight puts you at risk of osteoporosis, of loss of fertility (particularly if you have no period), hair loss, electrolyte problems, a weakening of the immune system, low blood pressure, blood disorders such as anemia, heart problems, and even death. The mental woes that come alongside can be just as devestating. Depression is common in undereaters, as well as distorted perceptions and problems like Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

BMI can sometimes be inaccurate but this is often only in cases like muscular athletic types and bodybuilders. 17 is definitely underweight, and unhealthy. Keep pushing to 20.

I do not want to discourage people RECOVERING from ED’S to reach a BMI of 20 BUT I have had enough of the contradictions for “ recovered” people with healthy bodies.

I recovered from anorexia over 4 years ago and my weight has since slipped almost 1 point below a BMI of 20.. I am a BMI of about 19.3

The .7 of a point below a BMI of 20 DOES NOT mean it is unnatural or unhealthy for my body

It just means that if I ever lose any weight due to illness I will have to gain the weight back; people with higher BMI’S do not have to worry.

I say to use common sense - if your BMI is less then 1 point over OR under the ideal BMI range of 20 - 25, then it does NOT mean it is not a healthy weight for your body

If your are SEVERAL points below 20, like a BMI of 17 which you are, then losing any more weight due to illness or stress could be very dangerous.

If you fall ill then dropping BELOW a BMI of 17 is very under weight, to the extent where it is quiet dangerous. The many associated risks are well rehearsed on this site.

Also, I forgot to say that a BMI of 19, and a BMI of 26 is NOT necessarily healthy for EVERY one; a BMI of 19 can be fine on a small framed person but far too small on a larger sized person,

I eat 2000 calories or more every day at about 5 ‘ 5 at a BMI of 19 and I do not look skinny and have no bones and am curvy, but other people would have to restrict to 1200 calories to attain a BMI of 19 and they would look emaciated. We are all built differently.

and a BMI of 26 could very well be too much weight for a very short person to carry but it might be fine for a body builder.

Because you are so close to the low end of the BMI scale, it very well may be that you can be healthy and still have a BMI of 17.  That being said, you should check with your doctor to see what he/she says.  Since they have your medical history and know your body type, their verdict is what should guide you in your decision to maintain or gain weight.  My guess is that you might have to gain 5-10 lbs to satisfy a more healthy body weight.

You cannot be healthy with a BMI of 17. It is not sustainable, and in the long run, it is harmful.

As for the question of one in the 19 range - that is for your body to determine. Reach 20, and if your body's set point is then lower than this it will adjust naturally. You do not determine your own set point.

That is all very true, but BMI standards seem to differ from country to country. In the United States, the low end of healthy is 17.5/18 and the high end is 23/ 24. :shrugs: I'm not saying one is right and one is wrong - just pointing out that depending on where you live even the standards of what is healthy might be different. And I'm certainly not encouraging anyone to stay underweight, but it would be best to just consult a doctor to figure out where one's weight should be at. Its much more accurate to look at past growth charts from childhood etc than to just look it up online.

I was considered essentially weight restored with a BMI of 15.5, told I only had to gain another 5-10 pounds to reach what was determined as my set point according to my growth charts from childhood. Its not just because I've always been on the very low end of the spectrum for height/weight, but also because I'm built rather awkwardly. I'm very long, but if I'm sitting down, no one ever expects me to be more than 5'2" because of my frame size. When I got my drivers liscence, it went something like this: "How tall are you, 5'1", 5'2"?."  "I'm 5'9." "What? No you're not!" ::Victoria stands up::

"huh. How high are the heels you're wearing - 5 inches?"

"I'm wearing flats."

"What?" ::Victoria takes off shoe::

"Oh wow...you're so little though! How are you so tall too?"

This occured after my first hospitalization and was deemed weight restored and healthy.

Thanks for your replies. It is very difficult with different opinions but I guess it's true we know our own bodies best. I say that your guess is right tennis that I should continue to gain 10lbs or so to be 'safer'. In fact that is my goal. I'm 100lbs at 5'4" and would like to be around 110lbs. 

Rebel: In the United States the lowest of the highest end of healthy is 25, the lowest end of healthy is 18.5. And even then you should not be dieting to get there. If you have to diet to get there and cannot maintain it it's not a healthy weight for your body.

110lbs at 5'4 is still underweight, Finleys. You should really be looking closer to 115lbs.

LALA - I did make sure I gained to a BMI of 20 initially following the anorexia, and in the 4 years or more since then I have just fallen .7 of a point through eating normally; I didn’t need to restrict to lose the weight and I let my body dictate the BMI rather then the other way around.

I am not averse to gaining weight in the future, and I actually expect that I will gain a little like most people do as they age.

I try not to focus on numbers and I only use them when I need to; if I ever weigh myself and find that my BMI has dropped below 19 then I would immediately gain it back because dropping below 18.5 would put me at higher risks of many health issues; despite being a small frame and healthy with a BMI of 19, I have enough common sense to know that even people with the tendency to be naturally slim put their health at risk if they become too under weight, below 18.5

As a lightly active average height female, I eat about 2000 calories a day although I don’t count and try to over estimate just to be safe, and I also enjoy feeling very full of healthy foods!

As long as I am happy and healthy I see no reason to go out of my way to gain weight just to reach a certain “ number”, I have been a lot happier in my life since I STOPPED counting calories and thinking about numbers.

It is important to know you are eating enough, but fortunately I have worked hard through out the years and accumulated the knowledge to know how to eat enough calories without counting on a website.

If I eat any less then 2000 I lose weight, as I found out this past year!

A good way to tell if your current BMI is healthy for you, is if you have to restrict calories in order to attain that BMI then it is probably too low for you!

If I maintained my BMI on only 1500 calories a day then that would indicate that I was not giving my body enough calories to reach it’s natural weight

I feel starved if I go below about 1800 so I hope that is sign that my metabolism has repaired after the past issues I had.

Personaltrainer... I... never said you intentionally lost weight to your current BMI after gaining to 20. That's why I mentioned a set point. You gained to 20. You lost a little naturally. That's your body adjusting to a set point. It's entirely possible that's where your body is happy for now and you might see a gain in the future when you get older but right now, that's where your body has settled. And... yeah. I also said that about the having to diet to a low BMI. Y'know. Right above your post.

That was a bit of a waffle, to be honest.

You would have to ask your doctor or other health practitioner. S/he could do blood tests or other exams and find out whether or not you're healthy at your current weight. It IS possible that you're OK, though gaining a little certainly wouldn't do any harm. If some people can be healthy with a BMI of 28, I don't see why there wouldn't be a few who are OK at 17, but it's dangerous to self-diagnose as having such a small frame that a weight that low is good.

When I've been weighed at doctors in the past they have not thought my weight was an issue. Even when I expressed my concerns. What kind of tests can be done for a general health check?

I have to say I am a bit obsessed with food right now and do enjoy counting the calories and planning future meals. I'm not sure if this is healthy in itself is it?! Not to the point where everything revolves around meal times...I guess I am just focusing my energies somewhere and at the moment this is it! What I know for sure is that i have a good appetite and I am eating better than ever, so that must be a good thing. Sorry this is me just sharing my thoughts.

It is fine to enjoy planning meals and enjoying your food. If your life is not revolving around food then there's not really a problem in my view.

When you go to your GP ask for a complete blood count, including checking your thyroid, and if possible the possibility of a bone density scan. The second one you might have to wait a bit for as they usually have a waiting list.

A lot of doctors are not necessarily experts on weight and what constitutes a healthy weight.

Some doctors push for a BMI of 20, but other doctors think a lower BMI is fine if you look healthy.